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CLEVELAND -- With roughly a week left before Tuesday’s 4 p.m. trade deadline, the Orioles are continuing to search for improvements.

And it is becoming increasingly clear that adding a corner infield bat with the ability to get on base at a high clip is a major priority – perhaps neck-and-neck with acquiring a starting pitcher.

In the past few weeks, the Orioles have had contact with the San Diego Padres about third baseman Chase Headley, the Philadelphia Phillies about third baseman Placido Polanco and the Chicago Cubs about first baseman Bryan LaHair, among others, according to several industry sources. Scouts from the Padres have watched the Orioles at home and on the road and have been in at least one lower-level affiliate’s park in the past week.

So if the O's were to acquire Headley who should be the odd man out? The clear options are Reynolds, Betemit, and Davis. I think most of us agree that cutting ties with Mark Reynolds would be a no brainer at that point.

Personally I wouldn't mind seeing Davis go either, he certainly has raw power and I think his plate discipline has improved a bit this season but his defense is sub par at best and he looks over matched at the plate at times. It seems like he'll run into mistake pitches and hit them very hard but he swings and misses an awful lot for a player who doesn't walk or play good defense.

That being said I think it's clear that Reynolds should be and would be the odd man out in that scenario.

LaHair had a great April and has come back to Earth since. I don't see why they are even considering him. Polanco is an upgrade defensively but a downgrade offensively so I'm not sure it is worth it to trade for him. Headley should be the #1 guy they go after but he will cost a lot.

Kubatko today says Headley isn't happening unless the Padres bring down the price. He speculates about Reynolds's departure, and wonders if the Orioles will eat the rest of his salary. It's almost as if he's heard something.

I would actually be okay with the Orioles acquiring LaHair. He's a better first baseman than Reynolds and he makes more contact. He probably wouldn't cost that much and LaHair is probably a better first baseman than anyone we have on our team actually now that I think about it. On the other side of the coin it's unlikely that he's really turned the corner, as mentioned previously, he's cooled off a lot since a good start however he's still hitting 288 which is a good bit better than Davis or Reynolds.

Obviously Headley is by far the best of the bunch but I'm not willing to give up a whole lot for him because as good as he his he's not a game changer. He would fill a big hole for us but it's not as if he puts our team over the edge and gets us into the playoffs. Offensively he's not much of an upgrade over Betemit so to give up anything substantial just for a defensive upgrade just doesn't make sense.

If the Dodgers complete the Lee for Garza trade then the Padres will have lost their leverage for Headley.

Everyone knew the Dodgers had Lee and wanted a 3B. I'd be shocked if Kevin Towers didn't hint to other GMs that "he was considering a trade for a ML ready top SP prospect", which most teams would have assumed was the Dodgers. If they come off of the board the next best option for the Padres would be Arizona; however, the Diamondbacks are talking with Texas about an Upton for a bunch of prospects trade that MIGHT include Mike Olt. He might be the best 3B prospect still in the minors.

If the Padres still want a legit SP and another quality prospect (Hoes/Bridwell?) for Headley we may be the last team standing. The Padres options are to trade him at a premium now and allow Jedd Gyorko to get a couple of hundred ABs this year or wait until the Winter and try to trade Headley when teams won't have the urgency but will have other options.

It seems aparant that we a front line pitcher is no longer an option, so I am good with Headley. He solves our need at 3B for the next couple of years. From what I've read on other posts the Padres don't value Headley all that much. Curious to know what they are looking for in return.

I still feel strongly that bolstering the starting pitching should be the priority.Any idea what it would cost to bring in Wandy rodriguez? He should be cheaper than Grienke and Garza......

legmason wrote:to give up anything substantial just for a defensive upgrade just doesn't make sense

What would you consider substantial? A ML player? One of our top five prospects? A prospect between six and ten?

Perhaps you are undervaluing defense. The foundation of every winning Orioles team that I remember in the last 45 years has been pitching and defense. Of course, that string included some very good hitting teams but it also included some light hitting teams that won primarily on their pitching and defense. If I were DD I would build this team on pitching, defense, and high OBP; and then hope some of those players were plus run producers.

Would that be enough to get Headley? I'd even be willing to give up 3 from that group. It's not like the O's have shown any ability to produce major leaguers from the farm system. Wieters never lived up to the hype, none of the pitchers lived up to the hype, etc. I'd rather a great 3B this year and next year than a very slim chance at having a good 2B in the future.

Would that be enough to get Headley? I'd even be willing to give up 3 from that group. It's not like the O's have shown any ability to produce major leaguers from the farm system. Wieters never lived up to the hype, none of the pitchers lived up to the hype, etc. I'd rather a great 3B this year and next year than a very slim chance at having a good 2B in the future.

I understand Wieters never lived up to the "Jesus in cleats" stuff but it seems like in the same post you managed to disparage Wieters while calling Chase Headley great. Something doesnt add up to me

Would that be enough to get Headley? I'd even be willing to give up 3 from that group. It's not like the O's have shown any ability to produce major leaguers from the farm system. Wieters never lived up to the hype, none of the pitchers lived up to the hype, etc. I'd rather a great 3B this year and next year than a very slim chance at having a good 2B in the future.

After looking at Headley's stats, he's certainly not worth four players, and probably not even three, even with the good defense. If it's three the third should be someone like Caleb Joseph.

I take your point about the O's player development, but that is a DD specialty. He did hire Peterson, after all. There might be a pre- and post-DD player development phenomenon with the O's.

DougDE wrote:I understand Wieters never lived up to the "Jesus in cleats" stuff but it seems like in the same post you managed to disparage Wieters while calling Chase Headley great. Something doesnt add up to me

Headley has the 2nd highest fWAR amongst 3B. I know Zimmerman has been down and Longoria has been hurt but that is still very impressive. He has a very good glove and outside of Petco his stats speak for themselves. I like Wieters he just has not come close to living up to the hype. I remember when he was in the minors people were predicting .300 with 30+HR annually and he has yet to do either one in a season.

Ampontan wrote:After looking at Headley's stats, he's certainly not worth four players, and probably not even three, even with the good defense. If it's three the third should be someone like Caleb Joseph.

I take your point about the O's player development, but that is a DD specialty. He did hire Peterson, after all. There might be a pre- and post-DD player development phenomenon with the O's.

You have to take into account the fact that he hits in Petco park in a mediocre lineup. His road numbers have been great and especially his walk rate/ OBP. He would bring a whole lot to the table for the Orioles and strengthen some of their greatest weaknesses (defense at 3B and OBP).